Language is important, but equally important is how language is
demonstrated," says Don Abbott, a motivational speaker in
Sanibel Island, Florida. In other words, it's what you say
and how you say it.

Your voice is a tool that can work for or against you. You may
already have a commanding speaking voice, but you may not always
use it, especially when you're nervous or overexcited.
Developing a consistent speaking voice is a simple matter of
awareness and practice. Abbott offers these tips:

Practice. The increased confidence you'll feel will
come across to your listeners.

Breathe. Don't talk nonstop; you'll sound
anxious and insecure. Allow yourself time to pause, collect your
thoughts, take a drink of water, and then continue.

Enunciate. Careless diction reduces your authority and
can result in misunderstandings. "Also be sure your
pronunciation is faultless," says Abbott. If you're not
sure how to pronounce a word, find out or substitute one that you
do know.

Pace yourself. Rapid speech can be difficult to
understand, while speaking too slowly may sound like you're
unsure of yourself.

Finally, Abbott says, if you're nervous, be upfront about
it. "Say something like, `This is not a normal situation for
me, and I'm a little bit uptight about it. I hope you'll
excuse me if I sound that way,' " he says.
"You'll put everyone--including yourself--at ease, and
you'll have more control over your voice if you're not so
tense."

Collection Protection

When a customer doesn't pay, your ability to collect may
depend on how well you protected yourself upfront by using the
right language in your sales documents. Those documents include
your credit application, sales contracts, invoices and
statements.

State the due date on each invoice. Don't leave any
question about when the bill becomes past due.

Clearly state the interest rate and terms under which interest
will accrue. In some states, the customer must agree to interest in
writing; check with your attorney to see what your particular
jurisdiction requires.

In your credit application and/or sales contract, include a
forum selection clause (which states that the debt is due and
payable where the creditor is located) and a choice of law
provision (which means the law where you are located applies
regardless of where the suit is filed).

Include a stipulation that the debtor will pay any attorney
fees and collection costs incurred at any time, even prior to
suit.

Get a personal guarantee. If your customers are other
businesses, be sure you know who owns the company and have them
sign a document that promises to pay you if their corporation is
unable to.

Have your documents reviewed by an attorney who specializes in
creditors' rights to be sure they are in line with the
regulations in your state.

Says Newburger, "We have so many cases where if the
creditor did even one of these things, we would be able to do more
for them."

Mind Their Manners

The quality of the daily contact your employees have with your
customers can be one of your strongest marketing tools. That's
why Ron Lutwen, president of SFT Inc., an engineering consulting
firm in Toledo, Ohio, provides etiquette training for every
employee in his company.

"Everyone in our company is selling for the company when
they're with clients, and our clients are watching [them] all
the time," says Lutwen. "It's important that all our
people be able to properly present themselves."

Etiquette lessons ranging from basic table manners to
contemporary business protocol are part of SFT's ongoing
employee training program. The training is typically provided at
noontime sessions (the company provides lunch), where employees
watch educational videos on various topics.

Lutwen says the importance of good manners and social skills
cannot be stressed enough. "We teach our people general
courtesy, including how to eat properly, how to talk and listen,
and how to ask questions," he says. "Our clients
aren't hiring a company, they're hiring our people, so we
have to be the kind of people our clients want to be with, work
with and have as part of their operation."